How do you radius a round tube ?

[The Cobbler]

I am working on a project that has 2 - 1" round aluminum legs that will fold up into an aluminum channel when not in use.
my plan is to pivot the tube in the channel using a 1/4" stainless nut & bolt.
I want to radius the end of the legs so it will pivot inside the channel and rest on the top of the channel when in the opened position. I figure a radius on the end of the tube would be the best option.
I have a few ideas on putting a radius on the tubes, looking for suggestions .
I want it to look neat & tidy.
thanks

 

[bullnerd]

All depends on what tools you have available?

Belt sander pops into my mind.

Simple version, clamp a piece of wood with a "pin" in it the distance of the radius from the belt, slide the leg over the pin and rotate.

Edit: turn the sander on first.

 

[The Cobbler]

I have belt sanders, grinders, disc sanders .
I was thinking the disc sander with a pin like you mentioned and work the pc back & forth

 

[LXCam]

If you have a stationary sander of any kind. Drill your pivot hole then screw/bolt it down to a piece of wood or whatever and then clamp that to your platen on the grinder and rotate. Every radius will end up identical.

 

[racingtadpole]

If you just need clearance for rotation cut an angle on either side with some sort of saw (mitre saw would work well if you have one).

 

[bullnerd]

Disc sander boo- belt sander yay!

lol! Just don't like disc sanders because all the **** comes back around at you!

Same difference in the end.

 

[Skiff Builder]

Cut end square, install these.

 

[toplessHO]

I keep seeing the ads for that outside deburring tool that fits in a drill chuck
kinda like a an inverted cone.

 

[matt_i]

Best/most finished would be radius turner in a lathe. But as others have mentioned a decent job can be done with a belt sander, just rotate the part in your hands along the long axis of the material as you also swing it thru an arc relative to the sanding face.

 

[sonali31]

What are types pipe bending ?

 

[bugnut]

I was thinking with aluminum a router with a carbide bit of the correct diameter, commonly a corner rounding bit.

 

[bullnerd]

He's using tubing.

 

[larry_g]

In my minds eye your going to want to have a step on the end of the tube if you want it to act as a stop in the open position or a raised stop in the channel for it to open against. If you radius 90* on the end of the tube and expect the flat to stop then the pivot point will have to be just in the right position and then when closed the side of the tube will hit the channel preventing the leg from fully seating. If you can draw this out to scale so you know the point of pivot and the radius and stop point so all will work as you expect.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[The Cobbler]

In my minds eye y......

Thanks for all the tips & suggestions.
This project is actually supports for a portable sunning platform for a buddies boat .
I have decided to NOT radius the ends of the "legs" . they will be pinned with a Bimini style pin in the open position when in use . when the deck is removed the pins will be removed & the legs will store laying flat and pinned into the bracketry for safe keeping.
I knew there was something I was missing

 

[PugetDude]

Thanks for all the tips & suggestions.
This project is actually supports for a portable sunning platform for a buddies boat .
I have decided to NOT radius the ends of the "legs" . they will be pinned with a Bimini style pin in the open position when in use . when the deck is removed the pins will be removed & the legs will store laying flat and pinned into the bracketry for safe keeping.
I knew there was something I was missing

We're going to need pictures of that completed sunning platform in use...

 

[The Cobbler]

We're going to need pictures of that completed sunning platform in use...

so you're not interested in pictures of the repair being made?